


Business Perks

by PoisonJack



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Modern AU, Vaughn is king of the shrimp buffet, handsome jack swoops in and saves the day, rhys gets all the delicious butterflies from the handsome stranger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-09-19 18:02:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17006496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonJack/pseuds/PoisonJack
Summary: Rhys and Vaughn get to go to a huge company party with district heads from across the country. Rhys catches Vasquez' eye and asks Vaughn to pretend to be his husband to get vasquez to leave him alone. Vasquez, of course, is persistent, until a handsome man with an intimidating scar scares him off his 'husband'.One of my older works from a tumblr sentence prompt meme request:“Explain it to me again - why do we need to pretend to be married?” ;0





	Business Perks

**Author's Note:**

> I had a _lot_ of fun when i wrote this one. If you'd like more, please leave a comment!! :D I still think about this fic even though its been 2yrs since i wrote it xD

It was the annual fourth-quarter company party. The best and brightest from across the country were invited for a company-sponsored weekend of fancy food, expensive accommodations, and moreover, an open bar.

To say Vaughn had jumped at the chance to be Rhys’ plus one was putting it mildly. The shorter man had outright threatened the taller man that he’d rent out his room if he left him behind.

“Geez, you know you’re my first pick….didn’t have to take it so far,” Rhys grumbled as they mingled among Hyperion’s best.

“Need I remind you that this isn’t just fancy, but it’s _fancy_ -fancy. Have you seen the bathroom? I’d break our lease to live there.”

“Okay, gross, but I get the idea,” Rhys said with a smirk as they each got a drink from the bar.

“And hello? The spread?” The other man motioned to the very fancy buffet-style tables filled with various meats, cheeses, geometrically-cut fruit on fancy tooth picks, and a giant ice-sculpture that rode the line between super-classy and very-tacky. “I’m stuffing myself with all the free shrimp I can eat and fancy wine I can drink.”

Rhys snorted. “They’re not going to run out. I mean we’re an hour late-”

“Yeah because of your hair–”

“My hair looks fabulous, thank you. And as I was saying, they’re not going to run out, dude. This is a _Hyperion_ event, remember? Knock yourself out.”  


Vaughn nodded sagely. “We work hard, ya know? We _should_ enjoy the good things in life once in a while.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I _did_ work hard for this.”

It wasn’t a lie. He’d been personally responsible for getting several very big clients to switch their current net security from rivals to Hyperion. He’d made the company some serious money.

“You’re in the big leagues now, bro. You’ll be moving up the corporate ladder in no time.”

Rhys took a smug sip of his cocktail and looked out at all the other individuals in the room. He gauged himself and Vaughn as probably some of the youngest people there. It boded well for his career, he thought. He was already on a road hard to access.

“Okay bro, that shrimp has my name on it and I’ve been watching that plate for a while.”

Rhys laughed. “Tonight’s our night! Have at it dude. I’m gonna get another drink.” He downed the rest of his cocktail and gave the glass to a passing waiter. “You want another?”

Vaughn was already gone, plate in hand and hoarding the shrimp like it was his last meal. Rhys only grinned, proud that he’d gotten them there, and got in line for another drink.

“Sex on the beach, please,” he asked politely as the bartender took his order and set about making his drink.

“Bit cold for that, isn’t it?” a voice asked behind him. He turned, wondering if it was him being spoken to, to see a large man with jet-black hair and fancy suit behind him.

“Uhhh…”

“You’re new,” the man pointed indicated with long finger pointed at Rhys’ chest. “Haven’t seen you at this thing before.”

“Oh! Yeah, actually, it’s my first time,” he spoke up to the stranger. The grin he got from the other man struck him as slightly off and he turned his attention back to the bar, a bit creeped out.  


“These things are usually boring. Just a bunch of old guys and their latest plastic surgery, as if no one could tell,” the man continued speaking to Rhys’ back. He looked over his shoulder to see a smug grin on the man’s face. “I’m Vasquez, Head of Securities to the north. You might’ve heard of me. You can call me Hugo.”

“Oh…uh…I’m Rhys.” The other man stuck out his hand to shake but like a heaven-sent angel, the bartender gave him his drink which he used as an excuse not to shake.

“Just Rhys huh?” Vasquez didn’t move forward in line, instead choosing to continue conversing with Rhys; something the amber-haired man would rather like to stop. “You’re one of the youngest faces I’ve seen here in a long time. Or are you just that good-looking?”

That gave Rhys pause. Did this guy– Was he trying to flirt with him? That was the lamest attempt he’d ever heard. Though by the man’s overall demeanor, Rhys didn’t doubt he’d been ahead of the booze game in the hour he and Vaughn had lagged behind.

“Thank you,” he said quickly. “I’ve got to go find my husband now.”

“Pfft husband? Pretty young thing like you? No way.”

“Yeah, actually… Nice meeting you,” he said and made his escape to the other side of the room. He found Vaughn seated amongst some very pretty houseplants devouring shrimp and dipping it in sauce like his life depended on it.

“Hey….You were right. I scooped up all the shrimp and bam! Waiter brought more.” Vaughn looked pleased as punch, a pile of tails on an empty plate next to him.

“Okay bro, you’re my husband if anyone asks.” Vaughn raised a brow as he chewed, and Rhys gave him an annoyed look. The shorter man gave the room a passing glance, but there were just too many people and too many table and plants to see everything proper. “Namely some creepy drunk guy with black hair.”

“Say no more,” Vaughn said, dabbing his mouth on a napkin that probably cost more than his entire suit. Rhys aggravatedly sipped at his drink while Vaughn looked him over. “Where’s mine?” Rhys rolled his eyes. “Some husband…”

The taller man snorted. “Fine. If I can duck el creepo, I’ll get you another.”

“Beer me bro.”

“Got it. Keep working on shrimp mountain. I’ll be back.”

Rhys thought he was lucky not to run into Vasquez again, retrieved the drink for Vaughn, and generally they were having a pretty good time. The ate, pondered the ice sculpture horse, drank more expensive booze, and poked fun at the cumulative age of the room. It was turning into a great night.

That is, until Vasquez found him again, and conveniently when Vaughn had gone to the bathrooms to break the seal on all that beer.  


“So…. All alone I see…”

“My Husband just went to the bathroom. He’ll be right back,” Rhys told him, his mellow booze-induced mood turning as Vasquez helped himself to a seat at their table.

“You know, I would have pegged you as one of these old guy’s arm candy, but you’re not, are you?”

“I know my way around programming,” Rhys told him, hard edge to his tone.

“Only programming?” Vasquez asked, hand skirting over the table in what he probably thought was a charming manner. Rhys quickly retracted his hand.

“I’ll be right back,” he managed, jumping up from his seat. “Bathroom.”

He was too annoyed and frantic to be too pulled in to the general glory of the restroom. Yes, it was fancy as hell, the stalls all made of real wood which reached all the way to the floor. The urinals were made of marble, which Rhys found almost a travesty to pee into. He also found that there was no Vaughn taking advantage of the expensive fixtures.

“Vaughn? Are you in here?”

“Yeah!” came his friend’s voice through one of the doors.

“We’ve got an emergency, dude,” Rhys told him in annoyance, almost expecting the man himself to show any second. “Time for the husband thing.”

“Explain it to me again - why do we need to pretend to be married?” Vaughn’s voice came through the door, followed by the sound of retching.

“Are-are you okay?” Rhys asked through the door.

“Yeah yeah I just–” A pause. “I think the shrimp maybe–” He paused again.

“Do you want anything?” Rhys really hoped no one else was in the bathroom to hear this. Not that anyone really knew who he or Vaughn were anyway. But the sounds he was making were not pretty. “Can I get you water or–?”

“Nah nah bro…Just…wait for me outside okay I’ll be out. Just avoid that weirdo, I’ll be right–” More retching. Rhys grimaced.

“I’m gonna get you some water dude. Hang tight.” He heard Vaughn’s protests as he left, and he must’ve had the most absolute shit luck, because he ran chest first into Vasquez as he exited the bathrooms. The man caught him from falling, and Rhys quickly righted himself and backed up.

Vasquez gave an angled look behind Rhys before looking the younger man back in the face. “So…. no husband I see. Are you just playing hard to get or-?”

Rhys growled, about to tell the other man off before an arm slipped around his waist and a kiss was pressed to his temple. His body knew before his brain that it was definitely not Vaughn who was now snug against his side, but a stranger.  


He looked into the man’s face- green and blue eyes, scarring that had been concealed with makeup- and the stranger gave him a knowing grin with perfect teeth. He was definitely older than Rhys, that much was clear, but his grip was strong and the glint in his eyes lively. Hot damn, he was gorgeous.  


“Sorry to keep you waiting, babe.”

“That….That’s fine… _honey_.”

Vasquez looked between them suspiciously. He gave the scarred man a once-over. “So _you’re_ his husband? Really now?“

“Two years now, right, sweetheart?”

It might have been the booze to blame, or pure stupidity, but Vasquez looked them both over again, his eyes lingering on Rhys. “Where’s your wedding ring then?”

The stranger snorted, his arm tightened around Rhys’ waist. “He’s my spouse, not my property. I don’t need a ring to prove that to anyone. Who the hell are you to ask anyways?”

Vasquez seemed to stutter a moment at the man’s legitimate anger, holding up both hands and stepping back in surrender. “Sorry, sorry, my mistake. Won’t happen again.”

“Make sure it doesn’t,” the stranger growled out. “Get out of here.”

Vasquez quickly made his escape, weaving a bit as he tried to put as much distance between this man and himself as possible. Rhys visibly deflated in relief and the stranger removed his arm, though he lingered on his hip a moment.

“Thank you so much,” Rhys said. “Guy wouldn’t take the hint.”

“Yeah, I figured as much from your little chat with your friend,” he said. Rhys felt color come to his cheeks as the man extended his hand. So they hadn’t been alone in there. “Name’s Jack.”

“Rhys,” he replied with flushed cheeks, the man’s smile disarming. “You work for Hyperion?”  


An amused snort left him. “In a manner of speaking. You?”

Rhys’ brow furrowed at the quizzical remark. “Yeah. To the east. I’m responsible for the move from Maliwan to Hyperion security systems and protocols,” he informed. At Jack’s open surprise, Rhys felt a bit smug.

“That was a big account, kiddo. Like huge. Pretty thing like you managed to get that?” Rhys flushed under the praise. The man’s pocket began vibrating, and he reached into it to pull out his phone, putting it to his ear. “Yeah. Yeah I’m here.” He gave Rhys a smile that filled the younger man with warmth, and signaled him to wait a moment. “Where? _Seriously_? Well can’t you handle it? Dammit, fine. I’m on my way.” He hung up the call as Rhys stood there awkwardly.

“Bad news?“ he asked lightly.

“Just annoying,” Jack huffed. “Listen kitten, it was great meeting you. I’d like to talk some more about those contracts you managed. Give me a call tomorrow, okay? If you don’t, remember, I know where you work.” The older man gave him a wink which Rhys knew had him blushing crimson, and he took the business card Jack had handed him.

The older man left him there as he had his phone to his ear yelling at someone, and Rhys nearly had a heart attack as he saw the name on the card. It read “Jack Lawrence, CEO, Hyperion”.  


Jack. _That_ Jack. The man that owned the freaking company. No way. Absolutely no way. That guy was rumored to be crazy old, confined to a wheelchair, on a respirator, and took his privacy very seriously due to his health.

What a load of obvious bullshit, holy hell. He couldn’t wait to tell Vaughn. _Vaughn_!

He went back into the bathroom to check on his friend, tell him the news only for Vaughn to retch back into the toilet. He quickly left again to resume his purpose to get the shorter man a glass of water.

Rhys didn’t catch a single look of Vasquez anywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a fic i actually _really_ wanted to continue with and expand, but I don't think there was much interest on tumblr. If there's further interest here, I could be persuaded to flesh out this world a little more ;)
> 
> [my tumblr](http://purge-that-urge-rhackathon.tumblr.com/) | [my fic masterlist archive](http://purge-that-urge-rhackathon.tumblr.com/post/134979026515/poisonjack-ao3-fic-archive) | [my twitter](https://twitter.com/PurgeThatUrge) | [my pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/PoisonJack)  
> (Just an FYI: you'll need to be logged in to tumblr for my blog to show up since it's marked explicit :D)
> 
> Please leave kudos and a comment if you enjoyed! ao3 FAQ: [Can I post comments anonymously, or if I don't have an Archive account? ](https://archiveofourown.org/faq/comments-and-kudos?language_id=en#anoncomment)


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